Council adopts lot coverage bylaw

Long-awaited alterations to zoning bylaws surrounding floor area limits and lot coverage in Oak Bay became official during last week’s council meeting held directly after public hearing.

Council approved the changes amending the zoning bylaw to take into account recommendations from the Floor Area Review Committee. The largest change is the reversion back from fixed floor area to a ratio model that would see a 0.4 to 1.0 floor area ratio; include accessory buildings in the calculation; and exclude low decks from floor area measure. Floor area would continue, as it is now, to be measured to the outside face of building sheathing and exclude exterior stairs from the building envelope measure.

Another significant modification includes 30 per cent total lot coverage including accessory buildings with a limit to seven per cent for accessory buildings.